Antebellum AmericaChapter 1 Lesson 3

Antebellum- Latin for “Before the War”- Also known as the Plantation Era- Often romanticized by some Southerners

Sectionalism- Loyalty to the interests of one’s own region or

section of the country, rather than to the interests of the nation as a whole.

- Usually a precursor to separatism.

The Nation Matures- After the War of 1812, America entered the “Era of Good

Feelings”.- Rise in nationalism- a feeling of intense pride and

patriotism.- America was asserting itself as a legitimate western

power.- James Monroe was elected President.

How did America grow as a nation?- Missouri Compromise took on the issue of slavery again.- The Federalist party lost power and fell apart- only one

political party remained (for now).- 1816: The Second Bank of the US is established- Monroe Doctrine: US asserts its power in the west to

dominant Europe.- McCullough vs Maryland:

- Congress has power to establish Second Bank- Federal government can do anything necessary to carry out its

responsibilities, as long as it is within the law.- The state cannot interfere with any federal agency within that

state’s borders.

How did America grow as a nation?- American manufacturing began to compete with

British goods.- Transportation improved:

- Roads- Canals- Steamboats for easy river travel- East-West highway- Railroads

Distinct regions and cultures- North:

- Factories, manufacturing, business- Anti-slavery- Large influx of immigrants from Ireland and Germany, mostly

Catholic- Spurred growth of “nativist” anti-immigrant, anti-Catholic

groups.

Distinct regions and cultures- South:

- After the invention of the cotton gin, “Cotton is King!”- Slavery was prominent, normalized, and accepted as necessary-

even by non-slaveholders.- Slaves resisted ACTIVELY. The abolition movement was already

causing a desire for freedom. - Few free African Americans in the South, but there were

200,000 free in the North.

The Age of Andrew Jackson- Elected in 1828; Democratic-Republican; slaveholder- American war hero and son of Irish immigrants- Supported the power of the federal government:

- During the Nullification Crisis (tariffs)- Dismantled the Second Bank- Supported the “spoils system”

- But did not support the power of the federal government when Georgia chose to force Cherokees to march west and leave the state.- Responsible for the deaths of thousands of Native Americans

due to the Indian Removal Act of 1830 (“The Trail of Tears”).

Reforming Society- Temperance Movement- Overcrowded prisons replaced by large

state penitentiaries- Asylums for the mentally ill - Women’s Rights:

- 1848 Seneca Falls Convention - Organized by Lucretia Mott and Elizabeth Cady Stanton- Focus was on women’s suffrage (the right to vote). Also known

as the enfranchisement of women.